Initially, I was surprised by your request, but it makes sense in that it takes a high quality system to fully convey at realistic sound levels (especially in a large room) the shear power of a well recorded Mahler symphony CD. In my opinion the Delos recording of Mahler's 2nd demands a high quality system with speakers capable of high level output across almost the entire audible frequency range. At the same time it has to be able to effectively replicate the many delicate passages which help make this symphony so special. Also, I have learned that a quality pre amp ranks (if the system employs a pre amp) in importance right next to the speakers. With respect to CDs and SACDs my key hardware include the SCD-1, the Placette Passive Line Pre amp, and the Musical Fidelity Nuvista 300 amplifier. My comments on my SCD-1 player, Placette Passive Line Pre, and Musical Fidelity Nuvista 300 Amplifier can be found at www.audioreview.com below: http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/CDPlayer/product_4682.shtml http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/Preamplifier/product_6023.shtml http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/Amplifier/product_3226.shtml The Musical Fidelity Nuvista 300 amplifier powers the satellites of my speaker system. Two Electron Kenetics Eagle 400s monos power my sub pair. My speakers, the Nestorovic Lab System 16, are not well known (but neither are my amps and pre amp either). You can find the Nestorovic's listed in the Annual Equipment Audio Directory ( may it rest in peace) and in a few obscure places. I will describe the Nestorovic's below but first I would like to comment on several excellent speaker systems I have recently auditioned which I believe portray the power, weight, dynamics, and realism of a full orchestra, especially in a larger room at realistic decibel levels without a sense of strain or compression. During the past year I have listened to several fine speaker systems as I have revamped my own sound system. (During that time I also attended over 10 symphony orchestra concerts as well as a half dozen jazz sets). Speakers I believe which are especially suited to the special demands of large scale symphonic music are Audio Artistry Beethoven, Dunlavy V, Eggleston Works Andra, Hale 8, Huff System 3, anyone of three Nestorovic systems, Revel Salons, Sonus Faber Amanti and Thiel 7.2. Critics can and do pick apart any of these speakers, but I for one could live with any of them. And they all can convey the power of a full orchestra in a fairly large room. Of course, I have a favorite, the Nestorovic's which I plug below. For the most part, orchestra instruments do not go below 40hz. But some percussion instruments, and the organ can go far below. And you find this kind of sub 40hz extension in abundance in Mahler, Saint Saens, Poulenc, Stravinsky, etc. And once you have experienced this in the home environment you don't want to give it up. All of these speakers, to varying degrees have good output to at least 23 HZ. Among the CDs I routinely play when auditioning gear, including all of the speakers I recommend above, is Telarc's Poulenc's Concerto, for Organ, Strings and Timpani. The last 3 minutes or so includes, a somewhat faint but *very* deep organ passage which is sustained for well over a minute and a half. I read where this sustained note was at 23 hz. The Audio Artistry, Dunlavy V and the Nestorovic 12A and 16A (they share the same subs) passed this test big time, much better than the others. Through these speakers the Poulenc passage seemingly caused a change of barometric pressure in the room much like what I remember happened at the live performance of this concerto I attended. (Note I have not listened to the Andra's with this CD but based on having hearing them in the past I believe their transmission line bass would do that organ passage great justice). But be careful when making this kind of low end evaluation. I was surprised to learn that some pre amps lack this kind of deep low end extension can be the culprit in not allowing an amp and speaker reach their potential in this region. Two of these are not widely known or distributed; the Huff System 3 and the speaker system that I own from Nestorovic. The Huff utilizes an enhanced version of the German Physiks DDD (itself an immensely improved Walsh driver originally employed in the legendary Ohm F speaker from the 70s and 80s). The DDD transducer is mated to a pair of subs. The results are indeed extraordinary. The horizontally omni directional DDD produces a sound stage with depth, width, and height and proportion which, to me, easily surpasses any of the above speakers I have listened to. However, like the F, this speaker is at the same time inefficient and is not the ultimate in the power handling department. But I would estimate in that in a room of up to 4500 cubic feet (a good sized room) these speakers should be given serious considera- tion). Most of us have a speaker in mind what we believe is the best we have ever heard. Well I am very fortunate to own the best speaker system I have heard, the Nestorovic System 16A. While they are not well known to most consumers (Mr. Nestorovic does *no* advertising) surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly) high end shop owners know and *deeply* respect Mile Nestorovic and his speaker designs. Granted I have only listened to 6 or 7 other speakers in this price range (over $15,000) but from top to bottom, especially the top and bottom I have simply not heard better. Sound staging characteristics don't match the Huffs (which is in a league all by itself among the speakers I listed but the Nestorovics are at least the equal to the others I have listed in this department. Dynamic range and the ability to reproduce orchestral crescendos, such as found in Mahler's 2nd symphony, at realistic decibel levels seemingly without compression are other hallmarks. Solo and choral works are also as good as it gets among the speakers I have listened to. With two large subs (rated flat to 16 HZ with a Q of .56) and two satellites pairs, that along with the crossover, are well integrated because all system components are designed all the other system component in mind they require space. But because the relatively low slung subs don't call attention to themselves; the entire system is surprisingly unassuming in appearance. Also, they should be biamped, but that just makes them sound even better. One thing that all the speakers that I mentioned have in common is that they are all are quite expensive, most are over $15,000. The exception is the Hales 8, which at under 10,000, is a real sleeper in the group. Robert C. Lang
